Washer



WASHER I 1'7 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 31, 1931. e. H. ELMORE T AL Filed Aug.

Hm W .m K R R mwfi w .mw mw WW wv kw a s r 4 SQ m. x 7 l NM. NM. w w .Nw mu. R m m. ww mm II m w WW 9w Wm Q m wmm l mm m Inventor 4J1 15 /m are B 1?. Ry/er y f Atlorncgs March 31, 1931. G. H. ELMORE ET AL 1,798,459

' WASHER Filed Aug. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 Inventor 6. f2. Elmore EZWZZQq/er W Aume Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNlTElila gTA'llESP PATENT ()FFICE GUY H. ELMORE, 01E SWARTHMORE, AND RICHARD W. RIGLER, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA V WASHER Application filed August 17, 1929. Serial No. 386,652.

()ur invention relates to washers of that ment to the other. The wash liquid is fed type employed in the washing of various mainto the compartment at the material disterials employed in industrial processes, such charge end of the apparatus and in which the as sand, pulp, rubber, etc, and has for its ob water level is the highest. Thus the mate- 5 ject the provision of apparatus of the charrial being discharged is treated by the clean actor designated which shall be simple 01? deincoming wash liquid, which liquid overflows sign, economical of manufacture and exinto the next compartment and from that tremely efiicient in operation. compartment to the next to be finally dis- A further object of our invention is to procharged from the tank. We thus provide a g vide a washer of the rotary drum type counter flow of wash liquid with respect to wherein the material is introduced at one the material being washed. In addition the end of the apparatus and discharged at the level of the wash water as it flows from comother after successive washings and wherein partment to compartment and to the final the wash liquid is caused to flow in a direcdisch we may be varied as desired. tion counter to the general direction of move- Apparatus embodying features of our iny ment of the material being washedvention is illustrated in the accompanying A further object or" our invention is the drawings, forming a part of this applicaprovision of a washer embodying a plurality tion, wherein of rotary drums in which the material is suc Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view so cessively treated and discharged from the through the apparatus; 7o apparatus, together Wit-l1 atank 01 the wash Fig, 2 is a sectional iew along the line liquid embodying a plurality of compartll-ll of Fig. 1; ments in which the several drums dip during Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line rotation, together with means for a flow of HIIII of Fig. 1; and

as washliquid through the several compart- Fi t i a detail View showing means (a ments in a direction counter to the general whereby the wash liquid level may be varied direction of material being treated. in the several compartments.

Briefly our invention comprises a plurality Referring to the drawings for a better unoi'rotary drums having perforated circumderstanding of our invention, our improved at terential walls and joined together at their apparatus comprises a tank 10 for wash 39 ends by constricted openings. Material is liquid, which tank is provided with partifed into a drum at one end of the apparatus tions 11 and 12 and with an overflow 13. The and each of the drums is provided With a overflow 13 is in the form of a pipe extend scoop which terminates in a chute leading ing through the end of the tank and pro-- into the next adjacent drum, and to the eX- vided at one side with a slot 14:. The pipe 13 a5 terior of the end drum, whereby material demay be turned to change the elevation of the livered into the drum at one end of the apslot 14 and thereby vary the level of the overparatus is successively transterreo to th sevflow from the tank. WVash liquid is introeral drums and finally discharged from t e duced into the tank through a conduit 16. 40 drum at the end opposite the feed end of the The apparatus so far described accordingly 9 apparatus. comprises a tank divided into compartments The drums are mounted on a common 17 l8 and 19. The partition 11 is made highsh aft arranged above a tank for wash liquid. er than the partition 12 and the partition 12 The tank for the wash liquid is divided by may be higher than the overflow 13 whereby l5 partitions into compartments,'one compartwash water introduced by the conduit 16 merit for each drum, and the partitions being flows into the compartment 17 and overflows arranged at different levels which are sucinto the compartments 18 and 19 and out cessively lower from the material discharge through the overflow 13. end of the apparatus to the feed end whereby At the ends of the tank 10 are provided $0 the wash liquid overflows from one compartpedestals 21 and 22 at the upper ends of which if/.

are bearings 23 and 24. The bearing 2 l may be held in position by means of a jack screw 26 mounted in a threaded member 27 and held between channels 28 and 29 supported by the pedestal 22. By this means its position may be readily adjusted.

Idounteo in the bearings 23 ant. is a shat 31 having secured thereto drums 32, and The drums 32, 33 and 3t are so located that their lower sides are immersed in the compartments 1?, 18 and 19, respectively. The shaft 31 is driven through a sprocket 36 and a chain 3? from a driving sprocket 38, the latter being mounted on a shaft 39 driven through a pulley il from any suitable source of power not shown.

Each of the drums 32, and 3 1 is provided with a perforated circuini'e 'ential wall I so that the wash liquid may freely enter the drum. The ends of each oi the drums are formed by castings 14: and -46 provided with pockets 1? in which are fitted agitator bars As may be seen from Fig. 2, the bars lS hare their web portions extending radially with respect to the drum so as to successively raise material being treated and allow it to drop bacl: into the wash liquid. The ends 4st and i6 of the drums are held together by means of bolts 49 extendii g from end to end thereof and which also serve to hold the bars 4-8 in place.

Formed at the left hand end of each of the drums 32, 33 and 34, as seen in the drawings, is a scoop comprising spaced parallel wall members 52 and 53 provided with holes 1 and 56 in the sides thereof. Inserted between the wall members 52 and 53 is a curved perforated plate 5'? forming the body of the scoop. The members 52 and 53 are provided with radial arms 58, 59 and which support he end walls of the drums. A hub portion (50 of the scoop is keyed to the shaft 31. Each of the end walls of the drums 32, 33 and 34 is outwardly dished and open so that the three drums, when assembled on the shaft 31, are joined by constricted passages, 61 and 62, and the outer ends of the drum and are left open. Forming a part of each of the scoops and joining the inner wall member 53 is a diagonally extending chute (53 which projects ti 1 the end of its associated drum so tl...

erial nicked up by each scoop in rotation ire ed into the next adjacent drum and. \lly dircharged from the end drum 32.

Supported from the pedestal22 adjacent the orum 3% is a feed chute (3 through which the nraterial to be washed is fed. At 67 is shown a conduit through which liquid may be sapplieu it needed to facilitate the feeding of the naerial into the drum Suitably sup- .tthe other end of the machine a discharge spout "S positioned to receive material discharged from the drum 32. The end wall s4- of the drum may be provided with an outwardly flaring portion 69 to aid in the discharge of the material. Sludge collected in the compartments 17, 18 and 19 may be discharged through discharge conduits 71, 72 and 73.

The operation of our improved washer is as follows: lVash liquid is fed into the compartment 17 through the conduit 16 which, as is noted, is directed into the interior of the drum jitter lil'ling the compartment 17, the wash liquid overflows the partition 11 into the compartment 18 and thence over the pan t tion 12 into the compartn'ient 19 and out through the discharge 13. The discharge 13 may be turned to vary the height of the opening l i and thus vary the level of water in the compartment 19. Material to be washed is in through the chute (56 into the drum 34L where it is successively raised by the bars l and dropped back into the wash liquid in the coniparti'nent 19. [is the material accumulates in the drum 3a it is picked up by the scoop 5? and when raised to the upper portion by rotation of the drum slides through the chute 63 into the drum 33 where it is subjected to similar treatment in the wash liquid in the compartment 18 from whence it is discharged into the drum 32. In the drum 32, the material given its linal washing in the relatively clean incoming wash liquid in the compartment 17. The thoroughly washed material is discharged through the discharge spout (58.

To have found that it may be desirable, when washing certain kinds of materials, that the water levels in the c mpartments 17, 18 and 19 be lower relative to the drums than those shown and that they be made regulable. e accordingly provide means whereby such regulation may be obtainable. Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, we provide each of the partitions 11 and 12 (only one of which is shown) with an opening 80 and secure guides 81 on each side of the opening. Fitting over the opening and in the guides 81 is a plate member 82 forming a valve. Secured to the valve 82 is a threaded stem 83 which extends up wardly through a suitable clip 84 secured to the upper part of the partition 11. Adjusting nuts 86 and 87 on the stem 83 scrre to adjust the position of the valve 82.

With the arrangement just described the valves 82 may be closed oil entirely to cause the wash liquid to overflow the partitions, or may be opened to provide a lower adjustable level for the liquid in the compartments.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we have devised an exceedingly simple washing apparatus in which the material is successively washed in progressively cleaner wash liquid and finally discharged. The eX tremely simple prOViSiOn of the counterflow of wash water insures that the finally discharged material will be thoroughly clean.

lVhile we have shown our invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and we desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art, or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is: p

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of co-axially arranged rotary drums open at the ends, means deiining connecting passages between the drums, means for feeding material to be washed into one of the end drums, means for successively transferring material from said end drum to the succeeding drums and finally to a discharge at the other end, a tank for wash liquid in which the drums are partly immersed, and means for effecting a flow of wash liquid through the tank from the material discharge end of the apparatus toward the material receiving end thereof.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of co-axially arranged rotary drums open at the ends, means defining connecting passages between the drums, means for feeding material to be washed into one of the end drums, means for successively transferring material from said end drum to the suceeding drums and finally to a discharge at the other end, a tank for wash liquid, partitions in the tank defining compartments in which the several drums are partially immersed, and means for efiecting a flow of wash liquid through the tank from compartment to compartment and finally to discharge from the material discharge end of the apparatus to the material receiving end thereof.

3. in an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of co-axially arranged rotary drums open at the ends, means defining connecting passages between the drums, means for feeding material to be washed into one of the end drums, means for successively transferring material while being washed from said end drum to the succeeding drums and finally to a discharge at the other end, a tank for wash liquid, partitions in the tank defining compartments therein, in which the several drums are partially immersed, said partitions being successively lower from the material discharge end of the apparatus toward the material receiving end thereof, overflow means for the tan at the material receiving end thereof, and means for continuously delivering wash liquid into the compartment at the material discharge end of the apparatus.

l. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of (lo-axially arranged rotary drums open at the ends, means defining connecting passages between the drums, means for feeding material to be washed into one of the end drums, means for successively transferring material from said drum to the succeeding drums and finally to a discharge at the other end, a tank for wash liquid, partitions in the tank defining compartments therein in which the several drums are par tially immersed, said partitions being successively lower from the material cischargc end of the apparatus toward the material re ceiving end thereof, adjustable overflow means for the tank at the material recei' end thereof, and means for delivering wi liquid into the compartment at the material discharge end of the aoparatus.

5. In a wa her, an elongated tank, partitions therein defining a plurality of separate compartments for wash liquid, the tops of the partitions being at progressively lower levels from one end of the tank to the other, means for introducing wash li uid into the higher level comoartment end ofthe tank to overfiow into e next lower compartment, means for withdrawing wash liquid from the lower compartment end of the tank, a plurality of connected rotary drums each dipping into the liquid in one of the compartments, and means incorporated in the drums for progressively transferi ng material being washed from drum to drum from the lower level compartment end of the machine toward the higher level compartment end thereof.

6. In a washer, a plurality of co-aiiially arranged drums, a tank, partition means in the tank defining compartments for the several drums, means for feeding material to be treated into a drum one end of the machine, means for successively transferring the material from drum to drum and dis charging it at the oth r end of the machine, and means for effecting a flow of wash liquid through the tank counter to the direction of movement of the material being washed.

7. A washer comprisim a plurality of coaXially arranged rotary drums, constricted connecting means between the drums, a perforate circumferential wall around each drum, means for delivering material to be washed into an end drum, scoops secured to an end wall of each drum to lift and discharge material into the next adjacent drum and from the other end drum, a tank, partitions in the tank defining a plurality of com partments at differentlevels, means for mounting the drums to rotate with the lower portion of each drum in a compartment, and means for effecting a flow of wash liquid through the compartments in a direction counter to the axial direction of movement of the material.

8. In a washer embodying a plurality of co-axially arranged rotary drums through which material to be washed is successively transferred and treated, a tank for wash liquid, means for mounting the drums to rotate partially immersed in the tank, and

means for effecting a flow of Wash liquid through the tank in a direction counter to the direction of movement of the material being- Washed.

9. A Washer comprising a tank,

of partitions mounted in the a i: QIOVh separate compartments t ein, a drum each compartment, means ror rotating t drums means for automatically conveyin mater-in leing Washed from one drum inta an adjacent drum, and means subjectin said material to a counter flow of liquid.

10. A washer comprisinga tank, a plurality of partitions mounted n the tank to pro ide separate co-mpartmeifis therein, said partitions being; of (liil ercnt heights to nro- Vide difi erent liquid levels in the sever partments a plurality of (o-axially k drums mounted tor rotation with 2?. drum artially immersed in each compartment, means provided Within each drum for conveying material therein to an adjacent drum, and means for effecting; a i'lov.- of we. liquid through the comgartments.

11. A washer comp] 's ng' a tank, a plurality of partitions mourned in the tank to provide separate compartments illdl'tlll, said partitions being of diiiierent hei to provi different liquid levels in tire several com partif arrange-1i (all ments, a plurality of coaxial drums mounted for rotation i li a drum partially immersed in each compartment, means provided Within each drum for convey'ng material therein to an adjacentdrum, means for effecting; a flow of Wash liquid through the compartments in a direction counter to the direction of movement of the material through the drums, and means for varying the liquid level in tne compartments.

In testimony whereof We, GUY H. Emronn and RICHARD 1V. RIGLnn, afiix our signatures.

GUY H. ELMOEE. RICHARD XV. RIGLER. 

